


in our world everything is soft and quiet and still

by sunlit_tea_leaves



Category: Half-Life
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Post-Canon, and barney loving his husband, gordon feeling safe and taking a nap, there's a bit more but yeah this fic is soft :'), this fic is literally just
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:35:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24683935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunlit_tea_leaves/pseuds/sunlit_tea_leaves
Summary: Gordon loves his husband, and Barney loves him back.
Relationships: Barney Calhoun/Gordon Freeman
Comments: 14
Kudos: 149





	in our world everything is soft and quiet and still

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Peachrot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peachrot/gifts).



It was a nice day, Gordon thought idly. There was the pleasant smell that always came after it rained, the smell of wet earth and plants still lingering in the air. He heard the raucous cawing of crows in the distance, and the playful rustling of grass caught in a gentle breeze. Over in the garden Barney worked diligently, the sun catching the silver in his hair and making it gleam. The green leaves of the tall sunflowers brushed his shoulders as he knelt to uproot some thorny weeds. Barney was the very picture of a stereotypical farmer, with his straw hat, red flannel shirt and jean overalls. He even had a stalk of golden grass in his mouth that he chewed while he worked. 

It wasn't a bad look, he actually looked rather handsome. Still, Gordon's sleepy mind thought it was funny.

The sun shone down warmly, and in his comfortable nest of soft blankets and pillows on the front porch Gordon let his eyes slip closed. It was nice to feel safe enough to do this.

He opened his eyes again some time later to the sound of a banjo being plucked, quiet and hushed. At the sound of him stirring Barney set down the instrument and scooted over to tuck some of Gordon's curly hair behind his ear.

"Sorry hun," Barney murmured apologetically, still stroking his hair. Gordon sighed and leaned into the touch. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”

Gordon smiled sleepily up at his husband.

"It’s okay. I like your playing." He signed with a yawn. "You’re very good at it."

The sun was setting now, and the sky was a soft, lavender shade with pink and orange clouds sprawled across it. Through the trees the sun shone, soft and buttery yellow, and painted everything in gold and amber.

Barney grinned and brushed his cheek with callused fingers.

“Aw shucks, that’s real sweet of you Gordon.”

"Just being honest."

“Still sweet.” Barney rubbed his neck, looking a little shy. Through his greying hair Gordon saw his ears turn a little pink. “There’s a uh...I wrote a song for you. Want to hear it..?”

Gordon nodded enthusiastically and Barney grinned again, looking happy. As he reached for his banjo Gordon propped himself up and nestled into Barney’s side, all while dragging a particularly fluffy blanket along from his nest, and tucked his face into Barney's neck. Through the bridge of his nose Gordon could feel Barney's heartbeat flutter, and he couldn't help but snicker at that. There was a bit of shuffling as they re-positioned themselves, then when the blanket was wrapped around them both, Barney hefted his banjo.

“Alright hun, here we go.” He said softly.

Barney strummed the banjo, quietly at first, and then louder as his confidence grew. Soon he was singing, low crooning notes and then higher faster ones, and as he sang and played his song Gordon smiled.

It felt good, to love and to be loved. He wouldn’t trade this for anything in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> happy (belated) birthday liam!! :>  
> EDIT: after reading the posts listed below i changed it so now gordon is no longer signing in brackets!  
> https://concerningwolves.tumblr.com/post/170197552819/further-notes-on-writing-signed-language  
> https://writing-with-olive.tumblr.com/post/623366570250518528/tips-on-writing-sign-language


End file.
